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World Mental Health Day has been marked internationally for the last 23 years and raises awareness around mental health issues and the surrounding stigma. Mental health is an issue that affects everyone. 1 in 4 people in the world will face challenges with their mental health at some point in their lives. This is why we need to be aware of our own mental health, be equipped to recognise or support others in crisis and raise our children with the resilience they will need to protect themselves from adversity.

The theme for 2018 is ‘Young People and Mental Health in a Changing World’

A startling statistic from the World Health Organisation states that over half of all mental illness begins by the age of 14. Luckily, organisations are beginning to see the benefits of early intervention as well as prevention.

“There is a growing recognition of the importance of helping young people build mental resilience, from the earliest ages, in order to cope with the challenges of today’s world.” (WHO, 2018)

The more aware and informed we are about mental health and resilience, the more we can act to protect ourselves and our children. The sooner we can reach out for help and support, the better the outcome.

 

Infant Mental Health

Infant Mental Health refers to how well as child develops socially and emotionally from birth to three years. Our SensoBaby curriculum and training as informed by the principles of Infant Mental Health and designed to support positive wellbeing in young children. Infants depend highly on their primary caregivers which is why opportunities for bonding are so important in the early years. At SensoBaby, we love to see the interactions between babies and their mothers, fathers, aunties and grannies. You can see the joy on their face when they master a new skill, discover something for the first time or really feel seen and understood by those around them.

These are the building blocks for raising an emotionally resilient child.

 

Maternal Mental Health

Motherhood can be as challenging as it is rewarding. New parents need our support and our guidance to find their own path through the parenting journey. 1 in 5 women will experience some sort of mental health issue during pregnancy or within the first year of birth.

Despite so many shared experiences, there a few shared stories.

We encourage women to seek support and talk to their friends if they are worried about how they are coping. SensoBaby aims to create a community to support mothers and a safe space to ask questions and ask for advice. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you are struggling or worried about yourself or a friend.

You can read about one of our SensoMama’s experiences with Post Natal Depression here.

 

SensoBaby Activities

‘Celebrating’ Mental Health Day is an unusual one but we have chosen to celebrate and practice the activities that are good for our mental wellbeing. We will be creating art, doing yoga, getting active and exploring tools and tricks that can help our young babies and toddlers to calm down and self regulate. We’ll also have the usual tea, coffee and cake for our parents and carers and all our visitors will receive a handy tip sheet on how stay calm as a parent.
If you haven’t yet tried out one of our classes, pay us a visit!

If you would like to talk further about any of the issues raised in this post, please contact Caroline at caroline@sensobaby.co.bw or call 74753883.

 


Reference: http://www.who.int/mental_health/world-mental-health-day/2018/en/